Another angle to this is that from my experience different types of water work better with different types of tea. In HK for example the water is hard, so Yorkshire Tea works very well indeed to kick start the day. That same brand does not work so well in the Scottish highlands where the water is soft.

I know they say you shouldn't add milk to early grey, but I do, and I like the taste. I have had a few times without milk and that was fine, but I like milk with my tea.
What about Lady Grey - should that be with milk or without mik?

Surely the most important thing is to use boiling water...
I visit US quite often and have been to East and West coasts, midwest and southern states, but will only drink tea when I am staying with friends there who own a kettle!
I'm not a great tea-drinker, generally one cup first thing in the morning is my daily 'allowance'. On the milk questions:
if brewing in a pot then milk in cup first

if teabag in cup then milk in after teabag removed
a smidgeon is permissible in earl grey (and all that is required).

Purists will also recommend warming the cup before making tea, using swirl of hot water... from kettle ;-)

I have been told that you shouldn't add water that is still boiling to the tea, as it "burns" the tea. Is that true?

I thought the milk always went first
anyways... COFFEE! forget tea

No milk in the Earl Grey, eh? It DOES considerably lighten it, makes the taste much lighter and sweeter. I think it's good either way... but I thought milk was an option with Black Teas...?

I always drink a tea brand called "Sweet Dreams". I brew it myself, and it knocks me out quick. I swear it has roofies in it.

I also consider boiling water the most important thing.
Milk in cup after removing the teabag.

Oh, and I also agree that milk in Earl Grey is alright, although it's a tea I usually drink without milk.
But it's different from teas that I would never drink with milk, such as Lapsang Souchong (one of my favourite teas, incidentally) and Darjeeling.
On the other hand of the spectrum, I never drink Assam without tea.

@obiwan: even though it's a black tea, I think most people would usually not drink Earl Grey with milk because of bergamot.

*end, not hand

Well, I'll try it with just the sugar and no milk tonight, although if you haven't tried earl Grey with a drop of milk you should at least once, I say...

Anywho, I only have a microwave to boil with, which works alright I suppose, get's it hot and a bit bubbly, as much as I could expect...

Never boil your tea, it does over cook it and the properties will be greatly diminished. Most people probably drink tea for its tastes somewhat but how it makes me feel is my route and by properly infusing the tea I get both nostalgic feelings and good taste. Then again this requires the water to be a bit below boiling depending on the type of tea and letting the water pull out the chemicals for 15 minutes which is required to get most of the good properties.
I love Oolong and Chinese Gunpowder tea. Also I never add anything other than herbs or water.

Well, I don't boil White or Green teas- only the "Black" ones, which I read are supposed to be boiled (and I think taste better that way, having had it boiled and not boiled.)

Lapsang Souchong is one potetn tea. I keep it, Oolong, and a strong Chai in the cupboard, but LS has to be the strongest of them. It's a bit smoky and when I drink it the wife complains that it smells like one of my "stinky cigars."

I agree, for tea enthusiasts, pickings are slim in America.